These City Lights
by Allume a Pense
Summary: [oneshot] Gabriella's prom date cheated on her and the only thing that can make it worse is the voice of Troy's blonde, bubbly date. This could possibly be her worst night ever. TG [lots of fluff]


**Author's Note: **Hola. I'm on vacation in Virginia and there's no internet so I'm barely ever on. Luckily, there's an internet lounge that's a five minute walk away, so you get this before I get home. Anyways, this is way fluffy so beware. I guess it's my way of saying sorry for lack of update on ST&F. :( So, please review!

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East High had four dances throughout the entire school year. The welcome back dance in September, the winter dance, Prom in spring, and the goodbye dance. This meant only four chances to get dressed up, have fun, and most importantly – find a date. All the girls were excited and all the guys were pumped for each of these. East High's students were full of energy and school spirit, which made it stand out from other schools in the district.

Out of all these dances, however, the biggest was the junior/senior prom in May. It was usually held in a ritzy hotel in downtown Albuquerque – in the grandest ballroom they could find. The decorations surpassed any school around them. All of the expenses were covered by the enthusiastic students who were always eager to help. East High's prom night lit up the streets with limos, flashing lights and of course, the colorful glow surrounding the hotel.

Inside was even more of a sight. Red and white decorations adorned the walls – canopies of fabric hung from the ceiling and were complimented by at least fifty gold stars hanging by invisible string. Half the room held all the tables, which were covered by alternating red and white tablecloths. Each round table held about six people and had a glittery "E" centerpiece. The other half of the ballroom was a dance floor, and at the head of it all was a stage. The DJ and his equipment took a quarter of the stage. The rest was for when prom king and queen were announced.

Prom started at 8:00, and it was now 10:30. Most of the seniors and half of the juniors were dancing furiously as the DJ spun an upbeat song. The rest were either eating or chatting amongst themselves. Gabriella Montez was one of those eating alone.

She daintily put another tiny cookie into her mouth and chewed slowly. Her warm chocolate eyes scanned the area for her date. She was after all a senior, and all seniors needed a date. It was an unwritten rule. She had left him at the punch bowl about fifteen minutes ago and ever since he was no where to be found. But Gabriella was a patient girl, and had no problem waiting for him. She was getting a bit fidgety though.

Her date wasn't her official boyfriend, or even a potential boyfriend, she thought. He asked her out and she had said yes. Later, he explained that he had liked her for some time before that, and he was ecstatic when she agreed to go with him. He was cute – Gabriella thought – with thick long locks of hair and cool blue eyes. He was one of the biggest flirts in East High though, and Gabriella had become a little wary of it. But this was the first guy to ever ask _her _to a dance. Ever.

Getting restless, she pushed herself up out of the plush chair and decided to look for her date. She passed Sharpay and Zeke on the dance floor and smiled at her in a friendly manner. She and Sharpay weren't exactly friends, but they weren't enemies. She did help Gabriella choose a dress, though, when asked about it. In fact, Gabriella was looking rather stunning tonight, and you didn't have to be her date to realize that.

Her dress was made out of one-hundred percent silk and was a soft gold in color. It was strapless and taken in a bit more on each side to create a sort of wrinkly look on the front of her stomach. Near the top of her pelvis, it transformed into a soft, rippling skirt that fell to about one inch above her knee. The skirt part was decorated in silver sparkles that glimmered when the spotlight shone anywhere near her. Though she usually never wears makeup, her eyes were smoky and dark and it looked _beautiful_. Her skin was flawless as always and her hair was left down but completely straightened. Her curls were stubborn and sometimes frizzy – so she had actually had to go to a salon to get them perfectly shiny and straight.

She was proud of how she looked tonight and maybe, for once, she wasn't afraid to stand out. Gabriella scanned the tables and walls, looking for her brunette date. Near the door, she found Troy, standing next to a pretty blonde girl. She greeted him with a regulatory smile and wave. "Hey Troy!" she waved happily. "How's your night?" she asked politely.

"Good," he smiled back at her. Troy's smiles were always affectionate and inviting, and his blue eyes darkened every time he did so. "How's yours? Where's Mitchell?" Troy looked behind her, as if he could hind behind such a tiny silhouette. Gabriella looked off to the side and shrugged. She had wanted more than _anything _to be Troy's date, but he'd already been asked by some other girl. Her name was Lilly, but Gabriella liked to call her Barbie (of course, not to her face.) She was the envy of other girls. Lilly was smart and pretty, she excelled in math _and _soccer, she won a couple of beauty pageants and she wrote the most gorgeous poetry Gabriella had ever heard. Not to mention, she was always so sugary sweet. Gabriella wondered what Lilly had that she couldn't ever be.

"I don't know, I'm looking for him." Gabriella explained. Lilly stepped forward and greeted Gabriella with a large, charming smile. Gabriella gave her a slightly smaller one back. "Hi Lilly. I hope you guys are having fun." Her voice seemed a bit monotone, but she didn't notice until after she had said it. Troy looked a little confusedly at her.

"Hey Gabriella!" Lilly's voice was perky and energetic. It was distinct, however, because it was always the slightest bit raspy. Her Tiffany-box-blue eyes sparkled with warmth. "Yeah, Troy and I are having so much fun! I hope your night is amazing too!" Lilly said sincerely. It almost sickened Gabriella how innocent that girl could be. And her addictive voice was getting a tiny bit annoying at the moment. Gabriella gritted her teeth, and kept her jaw closed.

"Uh, thanks." She thanked flatly. "Excuse me." She walked through the large wood doors that led into a carpeted hallway, which then led into the front lobby. Gabriella tightened her grip on her clutch and started to walk up near the lobby. Her strappy silver shoes made a light tapping noise on the carpet. Nearing the lobby, she saw where the carpet transformed into marble. And there Mitchell was. In the lobby, kissing another girl.

She stood at the door simply staring, dumbstruck, at her prom date. Quickly, Mitchell pushed the girl off of him and stood up. He rubbed the back of his head nervously and took a few steps towards Gabriella. "Gabriella, it's not …" he began to talk. Gabriella turned her back to him and began to walk. She refused to let him see her mascara running. Although he wasn't her boyfriend, it still hurt to know she'd been cheated and cheated _on _like that.

"Save it!" she wailed. "I know the routine!"

"Gabriella, baby," he tried, following her.

She stopped abruptly, turned around quickly and sniffled quietly, "I'm not your baby." And with a turn of her head, she walked back into the ballroom and got lost into a sea of happy, dancing couples. This was the worst night of her life. She'd been cheated on by her prom date, she looked horrible where everyone could see her, and to top it all off, Troy was having fun with his precious _Lilly_. She wanted everything to end.

Gabriella whipped out her cell phone and dialed her limo driver. "It's Gabriella Montez; I'm scheduled for pick up at 12:30? Could you possibly pick me up now? I'm at the Westin hotel. Okay, thank you." She sniffed over her cell phone. She was surprised the limo driver could hear her. She hurried over to her table, and threw her corsage onto Mitchell's plate, before turning around to head out.

About 10 feet away from the door, she noticed Troy was still there with Lilly. Apparently, he had said something hilarious and she was scrunching up her little perfect ski-slope button nose while her light laugh amused Troy. This only made Gabriella more upset. She tried to get by them without Troy noticing her, but he did and stopped her immediately.

"Whoa," he took hold of her shoulders. Her heavily made up eyes were now streaking down her cheek. She turned her cheek, she couldn't look at him. "Where are you going? What's wrong?" he asked, totally concerned. Lilly stepped up beside him and only looked sadly at Gabriella. Gabriella was positive Lilly thought she was the most pathetic creature on Earth, and maybe even Mars.

"I'm going home." Gabriella declared firmly, although her voice was shaky. "Mitchell was cheating on me. My limo driver will be here in 10 minutes – he's already paid for. So if you'll excuse me," she shrugged off Troy's grip and began down the hallway again. Troy only looked sadly after her.

"Well," Lilly's raspy voice filled his ears. "Aren't you going to follow her?"

"What?" Troy looked at Lilly confusedly. "You wouldn't be mad?"

"Of course not!" Lilly waved her small hand around. When it passed in front of Troy's face, it smelt strongly of vanilla. "I'm only your prom date, I know you like _her! _So go get her, you big clueless dog!" Lilly exclaimed. Her voice cracked at certain points and her turquoise eyes started to tint sapphire, for intensity. Troy nodded and jogged out front.

He found Gabriella sobbing softly near the front curb. A black shawl was wrapped around her tightly and she was rocking back and forth on her heels, as if she were trying to comfort herself. "Hey," Troy gently touched her shoulder. This time, their eyes met. "Are you okay?" he asked. _That's a stupid thing to ask_, he thought to himself after. Gabriella sniffed again.

"I will be. I'm going home to stuff a pint of Haagen-Dazs down my throat, use my stuffed dog as a pillow and fall asleep to some sappy romance movie." She explained simply, as if it had been obvious and she was talking to Taylor. "What are you doing here? What happened to Bar—Lilly?"

"She'll be fine without me," Troy smiled. "Besides, her voice is beginning to get on my nerves."

_I might just love this boy, _Gabriella thought.

Gabriella's pre-paid white stretch limo pulled up to the curb. The driver stepped out and opened the door for the two. Gabriella didn't look at him but muttered a quiet thank-you. He shut the door and went back into the front. As soon as Gabriella sat down, she broke down. She rested her elbows on her knees and placed her head into her hands, sobbing deeply. Troy moved next to her and rubbed her back in circles, hushing her and looking sympathetically. Who could do this to her? She was his best friend and seeing her so hurt made him so angry.

Maybe it was because she was more than a friend to him. He'd felt that certain chemistry between them as soon as he'd met her, and it never really left. At first, it was so strong, it was pretty much unbearable. After awhile, though, it became muted. Kind of like a background emotion that doesn't really show through. But it was there, and he knew it. Maybe it was time to let it flare up a little bit. The limo pulled onto the highway and street lights began to pass by quickly. "Gabriella, he's a jerk. You're better than him. You're better than most of the guys at our school. You deserve so much more than you settle for."

Gabriella sat up and just engulfed Troy in a hug. He was surprised at first, but liked the feeling of her body on his. She was warm and her soft hair against his cheek felt like heaven. And she smelt sort of like tangerines, which, he thought, topped vanilla. After a little, she sat back and sniffed one more time. The ride home had grown awkwardly and intensely silent. Troy took the opportunity to steal a few glances at her.

The streetlights would come and go, and each time it would pass over her face for a split second. The warm color made her eyes glow and even though her cheeks has rivers of mascara and eyeliner, her skin seemed to shine too. Her aurora just lit up and dimmed, like it was flashing. Was it a sign? He wondered, was something try to say "Here she is, take her before someone else does"?

His entire body flooded with hatred towards Mitchell. He took out his phone and began to dial. "What are you doing?" Gabriella asked timidly. Troy held a gave her a 'just trust me' look. She settled comfortably back into her seat, staring blankly out the window. Troy could tell when she's genuinely upset because her gaze is vacant and distant.

"Hello?"

"It's Troy." He growled simply. "Listen you son of a bitch, cheating on Gabriella tonight was the biggest mistake of your life. You pretty much fucking gave up an amazing, gorgeous girl for some tramp that will probably be another guy's tomorrow. Gabriella is smart _and _pretty and every guy's dream girl. But hey man, if you want the dollar-ninety-nine girlfriend, it's your choice because now you're pretty much screwed. Gabriella is over you, you retarded piece of shit."

And with that, Troy hung up.

Gabriella stared, awestruck at him. Her fawn-like eyes were wide and curious. Then, her surprised look transformed into one of thankfulness. "Thanks for sticking up for me. You're amazing, Troy Bolton." She told him truthfully. Troy blushed, thankful for the dark limo, and sat back in his seat. Then, the rest of the ride was entirely silent.

When the limo reached Gabriella's house, the driver again opened their door and the two stepped out. The driver climbed back into the front, tipped his hat and drove off down the street. Gabriella's whole body ached and her legs felt like Jello, but she managed to slowly amble to her front door. Troy followed behind her on the narrow pathway. Spotlights shone onto the large house and the light for the patio was right in the center.

The two stopped right on the step and avoided each other's gaze purposely. "Are you really going to be okay?" Troy broke the silence. Then, Gabriella looked straight at him. The look was concentrated and somewhat blinding. The brown part seemed to thicken every time she blinked, and he noticed she had a few qualities of hazel eyes – like tiny gold flecks surrounding the pupil. He wanted to look away but she kept pulling him into her.

"Yes." She told him finally. "I will. Thanks for being there when I needed you." She smiled, making her a bit easier to look at. Troy smiled too and took both of her hands. They were warm, but it was a cooler night than usual. "I just have one question. Why did you go to the prom with Lilly? We went for junior prom together." She sighed sadly. "What did I do? What didn't I do?" the tears began to return to her eyes.

Troy rubbed her hands with his thumbs. "Don't cry, Gabriella. It's such a sad sight. You only didn't do one thing: ask me. I didn't know you wanted to go with me anymore, so when Lilly asked, I accepted." He shook his head a little sadly. "I'm sorry for it, too. If I'd gone with you then this wouldn't have happened. I'm sorry your prom night was ruined."

Gabriella grinned. "Well, it was. Now, it's pretty good." When she smiled, the tears spilt over. But they were only leftovers. The meaningful ones had come and gone. She was officially done with Mitchell because there was something better, and he was standing here holding her hands. When they both noticed it had grown oddly quiet, they realized what they were doing. Awkwardly, they pulled their hands back and put them behind their back. Gabriella looked up at the sky.

"It's late. I should go …" she sighed sadly. "I'll see you tomorrow maybe. Let's do something." She suggested lightly. She and Troy always did something kind of unexpectedly on Saturdays. It had grown to be a fun tradition and Gabriella looked forward to it every week. And so far, Troy had never let her down on any one of them. He'd cancel anything; drop everything, just to do something with her.

"How about," Troy said uncertainly, "A nice dinner. And maybe a movie?" Troy said slowly, hoping she would get it right away. Thank God she was a smart girl. Gabriella blinked twice, nodding slowly. Her mouth was slightly open by an inch or so.

"You mean, like a …" she couldn't even finish her thought.

"Yeah." Troy smiled. "Like a date."

"I'd like that." Her answer was quick and truthful. She smiled up at him. "Anyways, goodnight. Give me a wakeup call tomorrow morning." She turned around and placed a hand on her doorknob. She opened the large front door, and stopped. Gabriella turned her head around to look at Troy, almost expectantly. Troy smiled sheepishly, he was a little too nervous. He gave her a 'tomorrow' look. Gabriella picked it up and giggled quietly, nodding and slightly shaking her head. He was so cute.

"Goodnight." He told her. She shut her door and leaned against it. Troy began back down the path. It was a nice night to walk home – and he was only on the next street over. He was too happy to worry about anything. Tomorrow he had a date with Gabriella Montez. _And _he was going to kiss her. Tomorrow was going to be heaven. Tomorrow was going to be amazing.

And he knew she felt the same way.

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Hope you liked it! Review, please!


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